The Weight of Words
by 14tongtx1
Summary: Oswald, on Lacie's last words. Takes place during Retrace 101


**Notes:** This just begged to be written as soon as I saw that prompt. Apologies if it doesn't seem clear–the events in Ph are pretty confusing after all. Hopefully I did not stray with the characterisations here. I hope that you enjoy! Please read and review! And if you think there's need for improvement, feel free to tell me!

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Lacie, Oswald muses, is a loud child. There is no getting around it, really. She talked about everything—if it wasn't one thing, it was another. Maybe one day she would be complaining about how he beat her in Chess (which wasn't really hard, since she lacked concentration and the ability to think things through—although she would never listen to him if he brought it up), and on other days, she would usually be seen with Jack, asking about his time spent away from her. Occasionally, when Lacie was in a particular joyful mood, she would even start singing the unnamed song that Oswald had composed.

Unfortunately, Lacie's 'loudness' is precisely one of the reasons why many people choose to avoid her. In hushed voices when they think nobody can hear (although he always catches them), they call her 'strange,' 'crazy,' 'eccentric,' and 'disrespectful of propriety'. The very fact that she is a child of misfortune only helps to exacerbate people's negative impressions of her.

However, despite Lacie's eccentricities, whimsicalness, and what-you-name-it, Oswald has surprisingly never ignored his sister. Whether it be an offhand comment of a piece of juicy gossip or a cutting retort made during their arguments, Oswald has always listened to what she has to say. He supposes this arrangement works out fine—she talks, he listens. They couldn't be more different from night and day. In fact, many people are stunned when they see the two siblings together, and although they never ask him, the same questions are seen in their eyes—" _How does he put up with her? Not even a normal person can!"_

And Oswald supposed, they are right in a sense.

For he is no ordinary person.

He is Oswald Baskerville, the right hand man of Levi, the soon-to-be next Glen, and the soon-to-be murderer of his own sister.

Perhaps, he muses, the reason why he has always listened to Lacie, the reason why he always pays attention to every word she has spoken, is because it is the least he can do. Because after she is cast down, after he has become a kinslayer, with her blood on his hands, she will inevitably cease to exist. And no matter what, Oswald does not wish for her to be forgotten.

So, it comes as a nasty shock, when on her death day, Oswald fails to catch her last words.

Ironically, about a hundred years later, those very same words are coming back to haunt him.

As Oswald now falls through the chaos of scattered memories of time long gone, he finds himself watching (or rewatching) the familiar scene of him (his past self, not him _him)_ condemning Lacie for her sin—and as chains wrap around her, she suddenly turns her head—

To see _him,_ who has travelled through time and space, and although invisible to everyone around, he appears perfectly clear to her blood-red eyes.

" _Brother…I'm sorry."_

 _Lacie…so those last words…were not addressed to me at that time, but to this future version of me?_

Why?

Why?

WHY?

 _What is she apologising for…as if she finally understood everything…_

And so, he continues to fall, plagued with thoughts of _It's not your fault I made you into a child of misfortune I could have sent you away with Jack but I chose to be a Baskerville instead of your brother I chose wrongly and this is all my fault but hopefully this course of action will undo everything that's ever happened…_

When Oswald finally reaches the memory that is his destination, he is once again face to face with an even younger Lacie—no more than ten. He steels himself and raises his sword above his head, preparing to strike—

And Lacie just **smiles.**

That sad, heartwarming smile is worth more than a thousand words.

The sword clatters to the ground, unused. He follows not long after that, spent.

In this moment, he is no longer Oswald Baskerville or Glen, but rather Oswald, Lacie's older brother.

 _How light it feels to have one's burden lifted from you…_

As Lottie rushes to his side, reassuring him with words of " _we will not let the world that you tried to protect be destroyed"_ Oswald sighs, and smiles gently.

 _It is time to let go of your regrets…_

And as he does so, a feeling of peace rushes through him, before he dissolves into a pillar of glowing lights.

 _"Colors fade, temples crumble, empires fall, but wise words endure."_ —Edward Thorndike


End file.
